Rosslyn Chapel

The Rosslyn Chapel or the Collegiate Chapel of St Mathew, as it was to have been, was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair, third and last St Clair Prince of Orkney. It is in fact only part of the choir of what was intended to be a larger cruciform building with a tower at its centre.

More than thirty-seven collegiate churches were built in Scotland between the reigns of James I and James IV (1406-1513). They were secular foundations intended to spread intellectual and spiritual knowledge, and the extravagance of their construction depended on the wealth of their founder.

After Sir William died in 1484, he was buried in the unfinished Chapel and the larger building he had planned was never completed. But the foundations of the nave have been excavated in the nineteenth century and found to extend ninety-one feet beyond the Chapel's original west door, under the existing baptistery and churchyard.

What was built however is extraordinary enough, 'This building, I believe, may be pronounced unique, and I am confident it will be found curious, elaborate and singularly interesting, impossible to designate by any given or familiar term' wrote Britton on his Architectural Antiquities of Britain (1812), adding somewhat despairingly that its 'variety and eccentricity are not to be defined by any words of common acceptation'.

The principal authority on the history of the Chapel and the Sinclair/ St Clair family is Father Richard Augustine Hay, Canon of St Genevieve in Paris and Prior of St Piermont. He examined historical records and charters of the St Clairs and completed a three-volume study in 1700, parts of which were published in 1835 as “A genealogy of the Sainte-claires of Rosslyn”. His research was timely, since the original documents subsequently disappeared.

Of the founder Father Hay said this: 'Prince William, his age creeping on him, came to consider how he had spent his times past, and how he was to spend his remaining days. Therefore, to the end, that he might not seem altogether unthankful to God for the benefices he received from Him, it came into his mind to build a house for God's service, of most curious work, that might be done with greater glory and splendour he caused artificers to be brought from other regions and foreign kingdoms and caused daily to be abundance of all kinds of workmen present as masons, carpenters, smiths, barrowmen and quarries... the foundation of this work he caused to be lain in the year of our Lord 1446, and to the end, the work might be more rare, first he caused draughts [plans] to be drawn upon Eastland boards [imported Baltic timber], and he made the carpenters carve them according to the draughts thereon and he gave them to for patterns to the masons, that they might cut the like in stone and because he thought the masons had not a convenient place to lodge in...He made them build the town of Rolsine, now Rosslyn- that is now extant and gave everyone a house and lands. He rewarded the masons according to their degree, as to the Master Mason; he gave nearly £40 yearly, and to everyone of the rest, £10...

Sir William's son and successor to the Barony of Rosslyn, Sir Oliver St Clair, roofed the choir with its stone vault but did no more to fulfil his father's original design.

The Chapel was generously endowed by the founder, with provision for a provost, six prebendaries and two choristers, and in 1523 by his grandson, also Sir William, with land for dwelling houses and gardens. On February 26th 1571, however, just forty-eight years after his last endowment, there is a record of the provost and prebendaries resigning because of the endowments being taken by 'force and violence' into secular hands as the effects of the Reformation took hold.

The Presbytery records of Dalkeith reveal that in 1589 William Knox, brother of John Knox and minister of Cockpen, was censured 'for baptising the Laird of Rosling's bairne' in Rosslyn Chapel, which was described as a 'house and monument of idolatrie, and not ane place appointit for teiching the word and ministratioun of ye sacrementis'.

The following year, the Presbytery forbade Mr George Ramsay, minister of Lasswade, from burying the wife of a later Oliver St Clair in the Chapel. The St Clairs had not yet succumbed to the Reformation.

This Oliver St Clair was repeatedly warned to destroy the altars in the Chapel and in1592 was summoned to appear before the General Assembly and threatened with excommunication if the altars remained standing after August 17th, 1592. On August 31st, the same George Ramsay reported that 'the altars of Roslene were haille demolishit'. From that time the Chapel ceased to be used as a house of prayer and soon fell into disrepair.

In 1650, during the Civil War, Cromwell's troops under General Monk attacked the castle and his horses were stabled in the Chapel. On December 11th, 1688, shortly after the protestant William of Orange had landed in England and displaced the Catholic James II, a mob from Edinburgh and some of the villagers from Roslin entered and damaged the Chapel. Their object was to destroy the furniture and vestments, which were now regarded as Popish and idolatrous.

The Chapel remained abandoned until 1736, when St James St Clair glazed the windows for the first time, repaired the roof, and re-laid the floor with flagstones. The boundary wall was also built at this time.

When Dorothy Wordsworth visited the Chapel on September 17th, 1807, she remarked: 'Went to view the inside of the Chapel of Rosslyn, which is kept locked up, and so preserved from the injuries it might otherwise receive from idle boys, but as nothing is done to keep it together, it must, in the end, fall. The architecture within is exquisitely beautiful.'

Further repairs to the Chapel were undertaken at the beginning of the nineteenth century and in 1861 it was agreed by James Alexander, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn, that Sunday services should begin again. He instructed the Edinburgh architect David Bryce to carry out restoration work. The carvings in the Lady Chapel were attended to; stones were re-laid in the crypt and an altar established there. The Bishop of Edinburgh rededicated the Chapel on Tuesday April 22nd, 1862, and the Bishop of Brechin preached from the text, 'Our Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth' (Psalms xxvi, v8).

The Reverend R. Cole, then resident military chaplain at Greenlaw Barracks near Penicuick, became private chaplain to the Earl. Lady Helen Wedderburn, daughter of the 7th Earl of Airlie, who lived nearby at Rosebank, organised a subscription from which some of the interior fittings were provided.

In 1880-1, Francis Robert, 4th Earl of Rosslyn, added the apse to serve as a baptistry with an organ loft above. The work is by Andrew Kerr. The Earl also filled the baptistry arch with the handsome oak tracery, which can be seen today, decorated with his crest. Together with the two Chapel doors, this is the only wood used in the construction of the building.

The cost of the work was seven hundred and fifty eight pounds, eight shillings and six pennies, with a further thirty four pounds and eighteen shillings to Andrew Kerr for fees. Kerr told the Earl that a party of visitors 'had remarked that it was wonderful that such young men should be entrusted to execute such carving,' to which the estate factor 'very coolly replied, that it was not wonderful here, as the finest pillar in the Chapel was the work of an apprentice boy.'

The Earl was happy with the work and in a letter to Kerr on November 16th, wrote: ' I must say that the author pronounces your building a complete success.'

In 1915, a report on the fabric by Sir Robert Lorimer observed: ' The stone work of the Chapel is in fairly good order and requires very little done to it... a few of the stones are crumbling but not to the extent to cause any alarm. The condition of the roof is not satisfactory... and there are a number of gaps and cracks all over.' He recommended that the exterior of the roof be covered with asphalt and this was carried out.

In 1942 the Chapel was almost closed for a second time when a government official called Robertson wrote to the Minister of Labour, Ernest Bevin MP, 'that the Episcopalian Church at Roslin was almost empty every Sunday... on a recent Sunday there was a congregation of only two, and apart from the Clergyman's labour there must be other workers employed in cleaning and looking after the church and I suggest that steps are taken to close it down.'

A copy of the letter was sent to Gwilym Lloyd George MP, the Minister of Fuel, who in turn wrote to the Secretary of State for Scotland in the following terms; 'I enclose a copy of a letter from David Robertson which causes me considerable embarrassment, who am I, a Welshman, that I should do anything that might imperil the eternal salvation of one Scottish Episcopalian. In any case, from the fuel point of view, I doubt whether I would be justified in securing a small economy of fuel in this world at the possible cost of a disproportionate expenditure of it on myself in the next.' The Chapel remained open.

Further work was carried out by Anthony 6th Earl of Rosslyn, in the 1950's when the crypt roof was repaired and the interior carvings cleaned by hand over a period of several years. He also added the stained glass windows in the baptistry. A report of May 1954 from the Ancient Monuments Branch of the Ministry of Works records that 'surfaces covered with green algae will be scrubbed down with stiff bristle brushes... using a solution of 880 ammonia and water. Water will then be used copiously until the surfaces are clean and free from dirt and vegetation. Flaky patches will be sealed off... Hollow areas in ornament will receive special treatment by grouting... and when the surfaces are thoroughly dry they will be hardened with silica fluoride of magnesium at a rate of 1lb per two gallons of water.'

This work was in accordance with the thinking of the time but not, unfortunately, with current conservation philosophy. The effect of the magnesium fluoride - a cementitious slurry - was to seal the internal surface of the masonry with an impermeable coating, so that the stone became saturated with water containing soluble pollutants. In addition, the coldness of the wet stone encouraged condensation. A report in 1995 confirmed that damage was occurring and that humidity in the Chapel was very high. It recommended that steps should be taken to dry out the saturated masonry, remove if possible the cementitious coating, and restore the permeability of the richly carved inner surfaces of the Chapel.

In March 1997, a freestanding steel structure was erected to cover the Chapel. It will enable the stone fabric of the roof vaults to dry outwards, away from the carved interior surfaces. In due course the bituminous felt, asphalt and concrete coverings of the stone roof vaults would be removed to assist this process. Stone and mortar repairs to the external walls, pinnacles, and buttresses, renewal of the rainwater disposal arrangements, repairs to the stained glass, and appropriate repair and conservation of the interior are all required. The coverings over the stone vaulted roofs will be renewed in lead and ways of removing the cementitious slurry are being investigated, in order that this magnificent building can be preserved for future generations to use and admire.

The year 2000 saw the Trust embark on a second phase of work. Funded jointly by The National Heritage Lottery Fund, The Eastern Scotland European Partnership, Historic Scotland and the Rosslyn Chapel Trust, this phase has a number of elements. Essential stabilisation works to the east boundary walls will protect the Chapel. A new roof of Caithness slate has been placed over the existing Crypt roof, and the Priest's Cell and two more modern buildings beside the Crypt have been made functional. The stairs to the Crypt have been repaired and the access to the Crypt is now both safer and more of an experience. Work has also been carried out to improve the electrical services in the Chapel, repairs to the wooden screen at the west end, and our interpretation of Rosslyn's story.

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The Genealogical Part

William Sinclair of the St. Clair family, a Scottish noble family descended from Norman knights and linked to the Knights Templar, designed the chapel. Construction of the chapel began in 1440, and the chapel was officially founded in 1446. Construction lasted for forty years.

Some authors have theorised that the Chapel's west wall is actually a model of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem and is part of the structure by design, rather than proof of another intended stage of building, which would have made the site about the size of a Cathedral.

In September 2005 a musical cipher hidden in mystical symbols carved into the stone ceiling of Rosslyn Chapel was reported as being unravelled by Scottish composer Stuart Mitchell. His feat was hailed by experts as a stroke of genius.

The codes were hidden in 213 cubes in the ceiling of the chapel, where parts of the film of Dan Brown's best-seller The Da Vinci Code were shot. Each cube contained different patterns to form an unusual 6ý-minute piece of music for 13 medieval players.

The unusual sound has been of great spiritual significance to those who built the chapel. The melody was unravelled after Mr Mitchell discovered the stones at the bottom of each of 12 pillars inside the chapel formed a cadence (three chords at the end of a piece of music) of which there were only three types in the 15th century.

Mr Mitchell said the music sounded like a nursery rhyme. "Everyone wants to hear something miraculous but William Sinclair, who designed the chapel, was an architect, not a musician," he said. "It is evident from the nursery rhyme style of the music that he could not play very well. It is in triple time, sounds childlike and is based on plain chant which was the common form of rhythm of the time." The strange combination of instruments in the piece includes bagpipes, whistles, trumpet, a medieval mouth piano, guitar and singers.

The chapel is famous for its connections to Freemasonry and its attendant rituals. This was first publicised by Knight and Lomas, but it is also found in works by Michael Baigent and Leigh and Tim Wallace Murphy (circa 1990), and the connections entered mainstream consciousness when named in the novel The Da Vinci Code for its links to the Holy Grail. I want to emphasise that the Holy Grail was never brought to the Chapel, but Her memories. The Sinclairs are hereditary lords of the Chapel and this truth cannot be denied.

The Scottish NGO The Friends of Rosslyn, which own the land surrounding the Chapel and the Rosslyn Chapel Trust which administers the Chapel, have both published a number of books and literature on the Chapel.

Certainly the Chapel is used by the modern Knights Templar for 'investiture' ceremonies, and because of its connection to one of the more famous freemasons (William Sinclair) and also due to the Masonic architecture and symbolism featured on the Chapel walls, many Freemasons from all over the world visit it. Certain points in its architecture are quite indicative of a Masonic, and Templar, connection.

In addition, the Chapel was used by Freemasons and Knights Templar and stationed at Rosslyn Chapel, journeyed to North America long before Columbus. This claim is based on several points:

1. Some of what appear to be the oldest graveyards in Nova Scotia (which means New Scotland) have Masonic symbols and Crusader crosses on them;

2. The Westford Knight is a rock engraving in Massachusetts showing a Scottish knight, linked to the Henry Sinclair party, with the Clan Gunn markings;

3. Most importantly, Rosslyn Chapel, although completed six years before Columbus' voyage, has stone carvings in it of plants unique to the Western hemisphere.

Because of its rumored connections with Freemasonry, the chapel has inevitably become listed as one of the possible final resting places of The Holy Grail. This is a possibility based on legends of 'Secret Vaults' and the possibility that the similarities between Rosslyn and the Temple of Jerusalem might be more than cosmetic.

The White Lady of Rosslyn Castle is said to hide a secret worth 'millions of pounds' - and some have suggested that this could be The Grail or instructions on how to find it.

St Clair legend suggests that there are three big medieval chests (probably the size of steamer trunks) buried somewhere on the property, and this has inevitably led to various theories as to the chests' contents. Past scanning and excavations in or near the Chapel have not yielded any such chests.

Sealed chambers under the basement of the chapel, however, have yet to be excavated for fear of collapse of the entire structure. These chambers are filled with pure white Arabic sand -- rumored to have been brought to the chapel by the Knights Templar from the Dome of the Rock -- and ultrasonic scans have revealed six leaden vaults within the sand.

It should be noted that it is only the Ruined Wall that is based on the Temple of Jerusalem - the chapel itself most closely resembles the East Quire of Glasgow Cathedral. The Chapel is famous for its two pillars: the Apprentice Pillar and the Master Pillar which, though next to each other, are carved differently. Masonic Architects believe these structures could signify the pillars of Boaz and Jachin.

Most interestingly are the (pictorial) references to the Key of Hiram, a significant piece of Masonic legend in the wall carvings, and in depictions of the New World, purportedly showing maize and aloe vera plants about a century before the discovery of North America, suggesting pre-Columbus travel there (the La Merika theory).

The trial of Galileo

Italian scientist convicted of heresy and confined by the Pope to house arrest in 1633 for teaching that the Earth orbits the sun. On September 20, 1633, the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei is tried by the Church for teaching that the Earth orbits the sun. As a result, on the Pope’s order, he was confined to house arrest for the remainder of his life until his death in 1642, at the age of 77.

One century earlier, Nicolaus Copernicus had published On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, the first book to outline a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology. This revolutionary theory placed the sun at center of the universe, rather than the Earth.

Geocentricism, the theory placing the Earth at the center of the Universe, had been vastly accepted since the 2^nd century AD, when firmly established by Claudius Ptolemy.

What is known as the “Galileo affair” began in 1610 when he came out against the Ptolemaic scientific view in his book Starry Messenger. Using the new telescope he had developed, he made observations supporting Copernican astronomy.

In reaction, many scientific and theological scholars attacked the theory because it seemingly contradicted Ptolemy's model of the universe, as well as several passages of Holy Scripture.

Galilei responded to that criticism in his letter to Kepler in August 1610 saying “My dear Kepler, I wish that we might laugh at the remarkable stupidity of the common herd. What do you have to say about the principal philosophers of this academy who are filled with the stubbornness of an asp and do not want to look at either the planets, the moon or the telescope, even though I have freely and deliberately offered them the opportunity a thousand times? Truly, just as the asp stops its ears, so do these philosophers shut their eyes to the light of truth.”

While Church officials were willing to let heliocentrism be taught as a hypothesis and discussed in scientific circles, the faith of the ordinary people was to be safeguarded. However, Galilei argued that his telescopic observations favored the Copernican heliocentric theory as a physical truth.

As the Inquisition started taking serious notice of Galilei’s work in 1615, he sent a letter to Grand Duchess Christina, which was an essay on the relation between the revelations of the Bible and the new discoveries then being made in science. His general stance was that the relevant passages of the Bible, which he was accused of contradicting, should not be interpreted literally, especially when taken from poetic or allegorical texts.

By 1616, the attacks on Copernicus’ ideas had reached a peak, to which Galilei responded by going to Rome in order to persuade the Catholic Church authorities not to ban heliocentrism. Ultimately, the Inquisition delivered him with an order not to "hold or defend" the idea that the Earth moves and the Sun stands still at the centre. The decree did not prevent Galileo from discussing the controversial subject.

Pope Urban VIII, elected in 1623, was a friend and supporter of Galilei who opposed his condemnation in 1616. And thus, with the Pope’s formal authorization along with that of the Inquisition, Galilei published Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems in 1632. Previously, the Pope had personally asked Galilei to give arguments for and against heliocentrism in the book, and to be careful not to advocate the controversial theory. He also requested that his own views on the matter be included in Galileo's book. Only the latter of those requests was fulfilled by Galilei.

Whether unknowingly or deliberately, Simplicio, the defender of the Geocentric view in the book, was often caught in his own errors and sometimes came across as a fool. Indeed, although Galileo states in the preface of his book that the character is named after a famous Aristotelian philosopher, the name "Simplicio" in Italian also has the connotation of "simpleton.” This portrayal of Simplicio made it appear as an advocacy book: an attack on Aristotelian geocentrism and defence of the Copernican theory.

Unfortunately for his relationship with the Pope, Galileo put the words of Urban VIII into the mouth of Simplicio. Most historians agree Galilei did not act out of malice and felt blindsided by the reaction to his book.

However, the Pope did not take the suspected public ridicule lightly, nor the Copernican advocacy. Galileo had alienated one of his biggest and most powerful supporters, the Pope, and was called to Rome to defend his writings.

With the loss of many of his defenders in Rome because of Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, Galilei was ordered to stand trial on suspicion of heresy in 1633.

As a result, Galilei was found “vehemently suspect of heresy” and was required to "abjure, curse and detest" those opinions. He was sentenced to formal imprisonment at the pleasure of the Inquisition. On the following day, this was commuted to house arrest, which he remained under for the rest of his life.

Aside from his theoretical works, Galilei made several contributions to “technology” such as an improved telescope, a thermometer, a military compass and many many others. So great was his legacy that he was called by Einstein the “father of modern science.”

The Piercing of the Eye

There have been many instances, albeit widely separated by the span of time, whereby high-profile historical figures have died as a result of a piercing of the eye. Delving further into the authenticated circumstances surrounding these events, I wanted to bring clarity to what I have come to refer to as “The Piercing of the Eye”. One such example is symbolized here, courtesy of the Bayeux Tapestry, commissioned by Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux. The Bayeux Tapestry is a long embroidered cloth that illustrates the events leading up to, and including, the Norman invasion of England in 1066. What may not be known to some is that the Bishop of Bayeux was a half-brother to William, Duke of Normandy, a major player in this 1066 drama.

Not only was I taken aback by these happenings, but I also found myself quite surprised that they had been over looked for such a long time. Extensive research proved most illuminating in that I was quick to identify that many of these high-profile figures shared a common bond, besides the manner in which they died, of course. This bond, I was to discover, was the connection of a shared bloodline. One key family in particular seems to have had a direct lineal line of descent from the very individuals involved in these events; namely, the Sinclair family. Given the sensational success of Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code, the name Sinclair, in direct association with Rosslyn Chapel, is continuing to garner attention on a world-wide level.

It needs to be shared here that the Sinclair family is currently active in the area of DNA research, and, as a result, we are beginning to further our lineal descent based on actual DNA findings. A few of the historical names related to this family are Hugh De Payens, the first Grand Master of the Knights Templar, and Godfroi (Godfrey) de Boullion, the first ruler of Jerusalem.

Other affiliated surnames have been Valois, Vermandois, Anjou, deBrus (later became Bruce), Beauchamp, de Clare and Montgomery, to name but a few. In addition, there are a multitude of others, all able to trace their ancestry back to Charlemagne, with some even to the Davidic line itself.

In dealing with the Sinclair family and its lineage to the Ulvungar Dynasty, it makes sense to understand the origins of the family. More on Ulvungar later.

The delivery of Hugh Montgomery’s The God-King’s of Europe is said to be a gold mine of truths. Upon reading, you will find that these truths are easily displacing the history that was written by the conquerors of the day. It has been stated that the Sinclair’s were mere players during these bygone days. In actuality, this has never been the case for the Sinclair family; a family that has been involved in the very making of the history we have come to know. It has even been suggested, by contemporary authors, that the Sinclair family is directly connected to the House of David, direct descendants of the Davidic lineage of Jeshua and Mary of Bethany. In following this same vein, Montgomery shares the existence of a version of a well-known French manuscript, dating from 412-420 AD, hereafter referenced as Document 4, from which the following words come.

“Now it came to pass in those days that a Priestess of the Goddess from the village of Bethany of the Tribe of Benjamin and a keeper of the Sacred Doves was affianced to a man called Jeshua for she had served her six years. Now Jeshua was of the House of David the King and they were married.

And Jeshua rebelled against the oppressors against Rome and was defeated, but many Romans were devotees of the Mother and were unwilling to kill her priestess who was with child. So Miriam took ship and was secretly smuggled into Gaul where she was delivered and there she abode many years. Now she bore a daughter who was exceedingly fair and the king of that place looked upon her and demanded that she be his wife but she was promised to the Goddess. But the king would not have it so and made her his wife and she bore him a son and a daughter.

But the Goddess was exceeding wrath for his rape of her daughter and cursed him saying, “Thy seed shall be estranged from me and thine inheritance taken from thee. Thy seed shall end by the piercing of an eye and so shall thine inheritance cease. Yet for the sake of my priestess whom thou ravished shall I forgive thee and thy seed if they fulfill those labors which I shall give them.

They must fight and capture that which was lost to the oppressors of thy wife though they shall not hold it for they shall suffer betrayal (as thou betrayed me). Unless one of thy seed shall end the House of their betrayers by piercing the eye of its Liege. To this family shall I award greatness if they return to me and from this time to that shall be four and one hundred generations” ”.

In continuing to focus on the “eye” of the story, we are better able to note a recognizable understanding of the very families involved in the crusades and why, perhaps, it was felt that Jerusalem had to be rescued from the infidels. In keeping with the aforementioned

Document 4, might there have been a certain destiny to fulfill? Might this also explain why we find these families within the Templar Order? Likewise, for the purpose for the Order having been created in the first place?

Montgomery also speaks about an Abdias Manuscript dating to 120 AD. Abdias was the first Bishop of Babylonia in the 1^st century. The Catholic Church, however, has claimed that the document was written by a French Monk from the 6^th century. Montgomery provides three reasons as to why this cannot possibly be true; namely,

(1) He is mentioned by Eusebius, the Church historian, in his book written in 306 AD.

(2) Eusebius mentions the Latin text of Julius Africanos and says that it was produced prior to 200 AD.

(3) The Latin is the rather better Latin of the first and second century AD and not the far more clumsy Latin of later dates when Latin was no longer a spoken language.

Currently held at Dickson College, as part of the Norris Collection, Abdias “wrote 10 sermons, one on each of the Apostles, in Hebrew. These were translated into Greek and then later into Latin by Julius Africanos. There is some indication that Abdias may have been a member of Jesus’ family” in that he claimed to know various members of this family. Montgomery tells us that this Abdias Manuscript is about the Early Church Apostles, particularly Jesus’ brothers and half brothers.

Looking back throughout history, as depicted through the prophesied words of Mary of Bethany, we can identify many corroborated references, which, to my mind, further substantiates the validity of Document 4.

It is important to note that both the “eye piercing” as well as the meaning behind the action had a significant connection with the beginning of the decline of the Merovingian House in the 750’s. Having been in power for more than 300 years, the Merovingians belonged to one of the early Gaulish Houses, assuming the throne after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 4^th century. Merovingian, named after Merovée, was an Ulvungar through Atualf, the King of the Visigoths in the 3^rd century. The last of the Merovingian line was Dagobert II. Itis said that his death was brought about in the following manner. He was sleeping in the forest and, whilst there, “pierced” in the left eye, ending the Merovingian dynasty. The immediate successors, the Mayors of the Palace, had served under the Merovingian kings. As a result of their marrying into the Merovingian dynasty, they claimed the right to rule, becoming the Carolingians.

Earlier in the article I made mention of the Sinclair family and its related lineage to the Ulvungar Dynasty. What is the Ulvungar Dynasty? Ulvungar is another name for a Scandinavian family of Royals that some may know as Ylinnlingeatt (Yngling). They ruled over vast domains, and, depending on who was in charge, the kingship bounced from Sweden to Norway to Denmark. Likewise for the nobles that supported them. They held land in most of the northern countries such as Scotland, Orkney, Shetland, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, as well as Frisia and the Ukraine. They not only wanted to seize the Western Empire, but also the Eastern, with the eventual prize being Jerusalem itself.

Montgomery describes the Ulvungar Dynasty, saying that “... the Odinpeople (Kassites) had fled from somewhere (Mesopotamia), finished up in Sweden, and ultimately called the Goths. Later a second migration, now mixed with the Benjamite and Elchasaite peoples, had fled north again and founded the Ulvungar dynasty of Scandinavia. These two events had been telescoped into one legend, as often happens, and memory of the persecutions of the Goths by the Roman Army in the 3rd century was now remembered as the reason for their fleeing north. Of small things are great events remembered”.

Another reference to this migration comes from The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail as written by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln. In discussing the Grandmasters of the Priory of Sion, these authors reference Nicholas Flamel, saying that:

“Around 1361 Flamel, according to his own account, happened upon the alchemical text that was to transform his life. Its complete title is both puzzling and interesting -- The Sacred Book of Abraham the Jew, Prince, Priest, Levite, Astrologer, and Philosopher to That Tribe of Jews who by the Wrath of God were Dispersed amongst the Gauls”.

As one can see, herein lies additional proof that a certain group of Jews left modern day Israel and migrated to France. Flamel is said to have found his “transmutation” after he left Spain, for it was there that he spoke to a Jewish man who had converted. He returns home to France, applies what the Jewish man has shown him, becoming very wealthy, owning and building many things.

Once again, we return to the piercing.

With Dagobert II out of the way, we see another great figure arise from the Ulvungar Dynasty by the name of Harald Hardrada (Harald III of Norway). Most historians would say he was a mighty warrior, himself an Ulvungar through lineal descent from Harald Fair-Haired. As a child, he was said to have spent time in the court of his cousin, or rather second uncle, Robert II (called both The Magnificent as well as The Devil), Duke of Normandy, who died on his way back from a pilgrimage in 1035. Interestingly enough, one is left to wonder if he had even been on a pilgrimage. It is quite possible that Robert may have been laying the groundwork for an invasion, instead!

While journeying about the Byzantine Empire, Harald kills Michael V by “piercing” his eye. He returns just in time to invade England, a full two to three weeks before William, Duke of Normandy. Harald lands and is killed in the Battle at Stamford Bridge by King Harold Godwinson of England. Harold is also a member of the Ulvungar Dynasty as well as a distant relative to William. Interestingly enough, William had been forced to remain along the French coast for six weeks due to bad weather.

William, the son of Robert II, Duke of Normandy, shared an affiliation to the St. Clair’s of St. Clair-sur-Epte, courtesy of his great grandfather Rollo the Viking (also known as Hrólf the Ganger) who signed a treaty with the Carolingian king, Charles the Simple, in 911 AD. The duchy of Normandy was established and ceded to Rollo, who became the first Duke of Normandy. What many do not know is that the descendants of Rollo took the name St. Clair. In essence, therefore, the Conqueror was William de St. Clair.

At the battle that changed history, that being the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William was said to have fought for a large part of the day, against Godwinson, almost coming to a standstill due to the Godwinson camp being unable to move its front line forward. In the end, however, it is William that wins the day. Godwinson is supposed to have fallen in this battle, due to his injury, and it is this very part of the story that gives further credence to my theory; namely, that the Bayeux Tapestry vividly shows the fall of Harold Godwinson as depicted by the arrow “piercing” his right eye! Many historians have said that Godwinson did not fall by the arrow, which only serves to make one pause just long enough to pose the pertinent question – if he did not die in this fashion, why has it been depicted in such a manner? In accordance with words of Document 4, we know why.

Another “piercing” that comes to mind, although deemed accidental, was that of Henri II of France. What interests me is that Michel de Nostradame, better known throughout history as Nostradamus, foretold the king of his death and how it would occur … by “his eye being pierced”. In this instance, the Scottish Guard’s captain, Gabriel de Montgomery, was responsible for the piercing. It is important to note that Henri was a Valois, a line that is also related to the St. Clair’s.

Informed of a fifth event, which provides as much clarity as the other events mentioned to date, such involves William the Conqueror’s son, William II (Rufus), who succeeded his father to the throne. He met his end by a piercing of the eye, giving way to a younger brother Henri who becomes known as Henri I of England. William the Conqueror’s son Richard tries to usurp the throne, with the help of the Montgomery’s and the de Clare’s, direct descendants of the illegitimate son of Richard I, Duke of Normandy, Godfrey, Count d’Eu.

Does this, then, give further credence to the fact that Nostradamus knew of a plot to kill Henri II of France? Baigent, Lincoln and Leigh think it possible, as do I, for one has to consider the underlying theme. It has been acknowledged that the Mayors of the Palace were responsible for the demise of the Merovingian kings, themselves becoming known as the Carolingians. In keeping with what the fact that the Montgomery’s and the de Clare’s were actively assisting Richard, son of William the Conqueror, in his attempt to commandeer the throne of England, albeit much later and within the same bloodline, is this not similar?

As has been shared here, we have several instances that have occurred chiefly within the Ulvungar lineage -- Dagobert, Harald Hardrada, William the Conqueror and William II (Rufus) were all related. In addition, all were connected to the same ritual killing as prophesied by Mary of Bethany in accordance with Document 4.

In perusing Roland Saint Clair’s book, The Saint Clair’s of the Isles, I tried to locate pieces of information that I may have overlooked. Sure enough, I was to find another piece of the puzzle. This time, I found myself armed with certain patterns and events.

I had been telling everyone that I was seeing a historical repeat with certain events as first described in Montgomery’s book, namely Document 4.

The ritual of killing the Liege, with the piercing of his eye, was both uppermost and very obvious in my mind. As stated in The Saint Clair’s of the Isles on page 269, Roland Saint Clair makes mention of another related event. Involving the usual suspects, this time it is King Canmore (Malcolm III) who is pierced through the left eye, by a person that is not named. As a result of further delving, I was able to conclude that the children of the person responsible for this particular eye piercing took the last name Percy. Eureka! We have the de Percy family!

During a siege with the Saint Clair’s, the people of Alnwick Castle are starved and at their last, an armed man come forth with the keys to the castle. He goes directly to the king, through all the men, with a lance. At the end of that lance are the keys to the castle.

The Scottish army let him through in order to present the keys to their king, perceiving this to be an act of final submission. To the horror of all, the armed man with the lance pierces the Scottish king in the left eye, and he dies. A cross near Broomhouse Hill, across the river from the castle, marks the spot where Malcolm III was killed in 1093.

The Percy’s were descended from a Danish raider by the name of Mainfred. I believe Mainfred may have been of rank in Rollo’s army, possibly even related to him, as Rollo brought many family members with him to Normandy. It suddenly makes sense when we see that the Percy’s received lands from William the Conqueror.

Quite possibly, William was wanting to lay all others to rest, with this ritual killing. Might this have been why Odo gave him the Bayeux Tapestry? Whether Harold actually died by the piercing of his eye, as depicted on the Tapestry, one may never know. One does, however, see William making an attempt at trying to clean house, making sure of his duty to the prophecy of Mary of Bethany.

In the search for proof in the recounting of these eye piercing events, I only have to look at these historical happenings to see what has been hidden. There are no coincidences.

When the Ulvungar and Davidic families seized Jerusalem, they were acting on the prophecy of Mary in association with the “inheritance of that which was lost”. Involved in the brutal killing of Jew, Muslim, and Christian alike, blood ran as high as a horse’s knee. It was their intent to take the city at all costs, an interesting side note being that the Pope did not react to this information in a negative sense at all.

In attempting to better understand the connection to all of these families, one begins to wonder what they may have had access to. Did they know of Document 4? Might there have been other manuscripts known to these key players?

It bears saying that with all of the nobility found in Europe, there is only one lineage that demonstrates a clear link to the words of Mary of Bethany; that of the Ulvungars. In so doing, it appears as if they attempted to fulfill her prophesied destiny. No other family in history has such a unique past that directly connects them to Document 4 as does the Ulvungar (Yinling) conquest of so many lands, places, and religions.

In conclusion, Document 4 has clearly been a significant find, perhaps serving to shed much light on events that shaped both families and history

Giving way to what many believe to be of the realm of mythology for a brief moment, the earliest recorded reference to a piercing of the eye has come to be associated with Horus, the Egyptian God of the sky. In Cracking the Symbol Code, Tim Wallace-Murphy states, “Then there is the all seeing ‘Eye of Horus’, a representation of the eye that Horus lost in his battle with Seth”.

Although we may not be related by blood to a God of Ancient Egypt, could it be that we mortals have come to make a philosophical and/or symbolic connection with this Eye of Horus? As a matter of interest, it is important to share that Odin, the chief god in Norse mythology, is said to also have lost an eye to gain wisdom. Thereafter, he was known as one-eyed Odin.

When one takes the time to pry further into the historical accuracy of certain events, a much truer picture of history starts to emerge. In my observation, it is clear that the Sinclair family has much to learn about their own history. Knowing that the mode of death was written in such a fashion, as shared within this article, lends more credence to the importance of the tale(s) being spun, for those with ears to hear, whether or not they actually happened as written.

What one has to wonder about the Sinclair family, in light of what has been shared here by this author, is what might their inheritance have been?

Author: Shawn Sinclair

The Mayan and 2012

One of the most significant years in numerology is the year 2012 A.D. That is because that is the date that the Mayans predicted that the world would end.

Even people who do not know a lot about Mayan astrology have heard this theory that the year 2012 will bring the apocalypse. It is supposed to end on August 13th at 11:11 am. This is a date that has always significant to theorists, physicist, astrologers, historians and numerologists as the year signifies the end of the thirteen cycle that make up what is known as the Mayan Long Count Calendar.

The Mayan Calendar contains both components of astrology and numerology. The people that belonged to this ancient civilization of South America were adept pampers and trackers of the heavens. The massive temples that were built by this early civilization were not just tombs or places to worship the Gods. They were also built to be giant observatories of the heavens.

These temples were architecturally designed so that the movements of the planets, the sun, the moon and the stars could be tracked. The majestic structures that the ancient Mayans built war not just places of worship. They were centres of astronomic studies that also did dual duty as temples of worship. Some temples even had cut out's in their stones in the shapes of snakes. As the sun would raise these cut out shapes would cast lengthening shadows in the shape of snakes down the temple steps. From a distance it would seem that a real snake was slithering down the steps. When the snake shadow lengthened so that it reached the bottom of the steps it marked a day. One whole day in the Mayan calendar was called a Kin.

Many ancient civilizations in Africa and the Far East developed calendars based on a 20 unit mathematical system and coincidentally so did the Mayan civilization. In essence the Long Count system nested cycles of days based on the number 20. Every unit of time in the calendar was based somehow out of that unit of 20. Day

Twenty days was called a Uinal. 7200 days was called a Katun and 144,000 days was called a Katun. The Mayan year consisted of 360 days and was called a Tun. This calendar was a little shorter than ours in terms of year length because it was only 360 days. Those 360 days were in turn divided into units of twenty days.

The reason that ancient Mayan year was a little bit shorter than our current calendar of 365 years is that it was based on the astral cycles of Venus. The ancient Mayans knew that whenever this shining celestial body was close to the earth that it seemed to bring good times. Of course today we would note this knowing that the planet Venus is associated in astrology with love and blessings. The planet Venus also has cycles that are the equivalent in length to the number twenty.

This Long Count system of measuring time was first put into practice by the Mayans around 32 B.C. The reason that it was called The Long Count is because the Mayans, who were quite dark spiritually, believed that the end of the world must happen. In fact it was something to look forward because life was believed to
be easier after that. In essence the Mayan Long Count is the countdown to the eventual
and unavoidable apocalypse that would bring the end of the world. The high priests and shamans in the Mayan culture figured out that the Long Count which is supposed to equal 5125.36 days.

This number of days is also known as the Mayan Great Cycle. This passage of time ends exactly on the winter solstice. Amazingly the Mayan mathematicians were able to pinpoint the exact day and time that the world will end in the future and that is on August 13th 2012. Just as a matter of interest they also believed that the
world was conceived n August 13th.

There is actual astrological and astronomical data to back up the theory of the Mayan Long Count and there are things happening in the sky that day that could potential bring the end of the world! Astrologically this date is important as this marks the date when the Sun is going to cross what is astronomically known as the Milky Way Equator. The Mayans were absolutely incredible mathematicians and they could predict centuries into the future when it came to predicting the trajectory of the Sun.

Further here is a lot of imagery representing the Milky Way in works of art done by the Mayans. The sea of stars of the Milky Way is essential to the Mayan myth of the Sacred Tree.

In fact in many of these drawings the sun is symbolized as a canoe that carries Mayan deities across the sky. In many drawings on temple walls there is a progressive series of images it shows the end of the world as symbolized by the canoe sinking into the Milky
Way. Astrologically the crossing of the sun over the Milky Way equator scheduled to happen at exactly 11:11 a.m GMT on August 13th in the year 2012.

This type of astrological event is unheard of as the sun will technically be in what is known as the "dark rift" of the Milky Way and oddly also be in conjunction with the exact centre of the universe.

Many visionaries and metaphysicians have noted how important this date is to the end of the world. One famous analysis called "The Mayan Prophecies" (authored, Adrian Gilbert and Maurice Cotterill ) have put forth the theory that the sun will reverse its magnetic field that day. This would be a development that would result in weather changes and seismic shifts that could cause the end of the world.

Of course the end of the world has been predicted many times in history and it is more likely that the Long Count will signify the end of one era and a new beginning of consciousness. However it is quite odd that the number 11:11 which is apocalyptic in other religions and cultures is the same in this world.

Significance Behind the "Lost Symbol" of Dan Brown

Symbols are prevalent all over the world and that the majority of people have no idea of what ancient symbolism is. There is much hope about Dan Brown's soon to be released "The Lost Symbol." It sounds enticing and the cover of the book is available for anyone to view. Supposedly, Brown has said that the symbol is buried in the cover of the book. On July 7, 2009, this cover was released on MSNBC and according to Jen Brown who wrote for MSNBC, the symbol on the cover is: "The jacket also prominently features a wax seal, inside of which is a double-headed Phoenix, the No. 33 (The highest mason degree), and the Latin phrase, "Ordo ae Chao," which translates to "Order from Chaos." These elements are tied to secret societies throughout history. The seal is set against a background of symbols -- among them characters from the zodiac and alchemy -- all suggesting ancient time and beliefs." What Brown does not mention is that the No. 33 is set within a triad. Of them all, the triad is the most important symbol.

Triad is really is not a secret. One only has to go to his book "A Beginner's Guide to Creating Reality," and in the back of the book is a drawing of the ancient triad with its meanings. The triad is a symbol of the journey from our origin into mass. This book is excellent for anyone who is curious about the triad, the brain and much, much more. It could be said that it is a book about discovery of self, or the purpose of self.

The triad or triangle has been passed down over the eons. Christianity adopted it as the symbol for the Father/Son and Holy Ghost with the Son being Jesus, which is a mis-interpretation with the original intent obscured.

Getting back to the cover of Brown's book, I have not delved too much into the Masonic meaning of 33 however there are 33 degrees or levels of Masonry and the human spine has 33 segments. The rise of one's spiritual energy has to move through all 33 segments to reach the Crown seal also called chakra and thus move into Christhood.

The two-headed phoenix represents the two-sided aspect of the human, i.e. the personality versus the spiritual. The phoenix rising out of the ashes is a symbol of the death of the personality and a rebirth. It could also represent reincarnation. The phoenix was used by the U.S. Founding Fathers instead of the eagle. The U.S. dollar bill is filled with ancient symbolism representing the spiritual side of the human. Too many people, including religions attribute this to Satan, the Devil or Lucifer when these symbols refer to the God within for the purpose of awakening the God-self of the human.

Magdalene's Holy Day

WHAT IF FOR YEARS, A SECRET HAS BEEN KEPT TO MAINTAIN A GREAT LIFE. WHAT IF THE SECRET HAS BEEN KNOWN, HIDDEN AWAY, UNTIL TIME CAME FOR IT TO BE REVEALED? A SECRET SO POWERFUL THAT THE WORLD PAID FOR IT IN BLOOD.

Every 22nd of July, the Holy Day of the Outcast Queen is celebrated. This day is very special for the followers of the Holy Grail. “The Holy Grail ‘neath ancient Roslin waits, the Blade and the Chalice guarding o’er gates. Adorned in Masters’ loving art, she lies. She rest at the last beneath the starry skies An ancient word of wisdom frees this enigma, thou reveal by the atbash, praised by the Templars and helps to keep the scatter’d family whole. Sacrosanct thou thee the five petals rose to the Holy Goddess, the Chalice, the Brotherhood is blessed forever. You don’t find the Holy Grail, but she finds you”

Mary Magdalene was from the house of Benjamin, meaning she was a Royal Descent. The Early Catholic Church recast Her has a whore and thus being a poor in order to erase evidence of her powerful family ties. It was not Mary Magdalene‘s Royal Blood that concerned the church so much as it was her consorting with Christ who also had Royal blood.

The book of Matthew tells us that Jesus was of the House of David, a descendant of King Solomon, the King of Jews, and so was Joseph, the father of Jesus. By marrying into the powerful House of Benjamin, Jesus fused two Royal Bloodlines, creating a potent political union with the potential of making a legitimate claim to the throne and restoring the line of kings as it was under Solomon.

The legend of the Holy Grail is a legend about Royal Blood. When Grail legend speaks of the Chalice that held the blood of Christ, it speaks of Mary Magdalene, the female womb who carried the Royal bloodline of Jesus Christ. This implies that they had a child conceived through Messianic tradition. Mary Magdalene was the Holy Vessel; the Chalice that bore the Royal Bloodline, the womb that bore the lineage and the vine from which the sacred fruit sprang forth. The Sangréal documents found by the Templars at the ruins of the Solomon temple contain proofs that Jesus had a Royal Bloodline.

The Sangréal documents include tens of thousands of pages of information. Eyewitness accounts of the Sangréal treasure describe it as being carried in four enormous trunks and those trunks are reputed to be the Purist Documents, thousands of pages of unaltered, Pre-Constantine documents, written by the earl followers of Jesus, revering Him as a wholly Human teacher and prophet. The Q-Documents, a legendary treasure, a manuscript written by Jesus Himself and which the Vatican also admits that it exists. The Q Document contains the chronicle of Jesus Ministry. Another explosive document includes the manuscript called the Magdalene Diaries- Her personal accounts of her relationship with Christ and His Crucifixion and her time in France and these documents were the treasure found by the Knights Templar and these made them so powerful.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

The enigmatic writer Dan Brown has revealed the cover of his book “The Lost symbol” to be released on 15th September 2009. Interestingly, the date concedes with the Royal birthday of Christ as per the Messianic tradition. It is to note that Christ was born on 01st March 7 B.C with an official and royal birthday on 15th September. The new book of Dan Brown shades new findings on the Masonic Blazing star, the Bethlehem star, the Star of King David and the lost symbol of The Christ challenging human origins and the very foundation of all religions.

Here is an exclusive extract of the book;
The Elite, thousands of years ago seem to have hidden valuable enlightening records that threatened their war hungry profiteering ways by 'demonically' encoded texts so that action could be taken on their general public found delving into such works. Wayne believes this protocol is still active today, although it has taken a whole new direction. 'Angels' appear to be real flesh and blood visitors to our world and the texts encode important stars associated with these visitors as 'demons'. This will be ellaborated on further down the page. Historically speaking, this article identifies a symbol that has lost its meaning until now. The lost symbol is not only Solomon’s 'Key'. It is also the same 'Key' of the Masonic legend of Hiram Abiff and the same 'Key' secret of St. Peter, as seen with his statue at the Vatican. The statue of St. Peter points down the causeway in the direction of the secret of the star fortress. Will Dan Brown identify the hidden meaning of these previously forbidden pieces of important history or will his book hide the truth with fiction? One can only wait and see. It has come as quite a surprise for many that his book title will be 'The Lost Symbol', but this does not change what he has already said his book would be based on.

For more information, please log into : http://keyofsolomon.net/

The Mystery of the Mother Church

There are apocryphal traditions and legends which claim that Jesus visited some of the ancient pre-Christian mystery temples and wisdom schools, for example, in Egypt and India. It may be significant to note that just few miles from Elilean Isa, on the mainland of the Scottish Isle of Skye, close to Dunvegan, is to be found an extensive ancient site of religious worship known as the Temple of Anaitis. Its close proximity to the Island of Jesus could suggest that Jesus (Isa) may have visited this pre-Christian mystery temple.

Sprinkled across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, often in remote places, are to be found curious ancient sites of religious worship known by Gaelic name of Annat or Annait which were seen as places of worship relating to Mother Church. These Annat sites appear to be pre-Christian and apparently relate to the worship of Anaitis, the Goddess of the ancient East. In the old Hebrew-Phoenician pantheon, Anaitis or Anath was the sister of the sun god Baal or Bel who was also worshipped in the Celtic regions of the British Isles, Particularly Scotland and Ireland by the Lighting of the Belfane fires.

Anaitis, from whence, in all probability, is derived the Gaelic term annat, was a pre-Christian female deity or goddess who was worshipped not only in Egypt but also in Asia Minor. Along with Baal, she was one of the leading deities worshipped by the Canaanites. She was also worshipped in Anatolia and Armenia, both in Asia Minor. According to Jocob Bryant, many places were styled An-ait…some of these were so called from their situation; others from the worship there established. The Egyptians had many subordinate deities, which they esteemed so many emancipation from their chief god. These derivations they called fountains and supposed them to be derived from the sun; that they looked upon as the source of all things. Hence they formed Ath-El and Ath- Ain, the Athela and Athena of the Greeks. These were two titles appropriate to the same personage, Divine wisdom, as Divine Wisdom was sometimes expressed Ath-Ain, so, at other times, the terms were reversed and the Deity constituted called An-Ait. Temples to this goddess occur at Ecbatana in Media, also in Mesopotamia, Persis, Armenia, and Cappadocia where rites of fire were particularly observed. She was not unknown among the ancient Canaanites; for a temple called Beth- Anath is mentioned in the book of Joshua. Equally to add that ten of thousands of years before the arrival of Indo- European speaking people during the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, it was not God who was worshipped but rather a Great Goddess who reigned supreme in the European religion